The news site of Bethel High School

Life IS a Happy Song with the Muppets

Since the 1950’s, those of any generation associate The Muppets as a nostalgic symbol of their childhood. We have suffered great withdrawal, however, since the last time they took the big screen was in 1999 with Muppets from Space. Jason Segel ended this twelve year hell with the penning of the current 2011 hit, The Muppets.

Segel, starring as Gary, Amy Adams, starring as girlfriend of 10 years Mary, and new Muppet Walter find themselves reuniting the Muppets in an effort to save the old theater from an oil tycoon. Whether you are middle-aged, adolescent, or a child, the cocktail of comedy, adventure, and puppets makes the perfect family movie.

Gary and Mary take a trip to LA in celebration of ten years as a couple. Gary invites his Muppet-for-a-brother Walter along. They visit the Muppets’ old theater, and Walter overhears the man buying the theater discussing plans to demolish it for an oil plant.

After enticing the legendary Kermit into their rescue plan, the small group ventures on a road trip to reconcile the Muppets, in an effort to raise the $10 million required to void the contract. Meanwhile, Walter battles with his identity as a Muppet; Mary feels neglected; and the Muppets struggle to get people to endorse and watch their show.

This movie served as both a literal and figurative comeback for our favorite puppets. As aforementioned, it is the first time the Muppets have hit the big screen for 12 years. What better way to honor the comeback by making a movie about the comeback? Although the movie portrays a world that has forgotten about the Muppets – while the real world is far from that – the parallel to reality emphasizes the comeback concept and makes it all the more enjoyable.

The soundtrack in this movie is catchy, memorable, and maintains the legacy of the Muppets. The lyrics are silly, yet they serve to highlight the events of the movie. The opening & finale song “Life’s a Happy Song,” and the rehashing of old material from the Muppets’ begotten show, like “Mahna Mahna” were ideal. During the production of the TV show the songs “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” originally by Nirvana, and “Forget You,” originally by Cee Lo Green, are covered with Mupppet style.

I give this film 5 out of 5 stars. I watched it twice in one week, and found it is perfect for a date night, family movie night, and good entertain for my nieces. The movie revitalizes my childhood with a vengeance. Segel, despite his more adult presences in hit TV show How I Met Your Mother and movies such as Forgetting Sarah Marshall, transcended beautifully into a children’s film. This comeback could not have honored the Muppets better.